After hitting three goals in Manchester United’s 4-0 win against Belgian side Club Brugge, Wayne Rooney has declared his intention to phone it in until June. Rooney has been criticised for his poor form so far this season, failing to net in any of United’s first three Premier League matches and lumbering around the pitch like a clumsy, sunburned auroch.

But following his star turn in the Champions League play-off second leg, United’s captain believes he has done enough to silence the naysayers for this campaign.

“I wanted to prove I could still do it when it mattered and I have, so that’s that,” Rooney told FFT. “If my form had been poor over 50, 60, 70 games then obviously I’d start to worry, but so long as I can turn it on with a mere two-goal cushion against the second-best team in Belgium, I’m happy with my performance.”

Rooney admitted that the questions over his ability and commitment would probably start up again, perhaps as early as 2017, but insisted that for now he was happy to have done enough to justify his place in the side, and his £300,000 a week salary.

“In football, if you have a bad few seasons everybody gets on your back,” said the 29-year-old. “Which is why it’s important to show you do it when it really matters, on a warm Wednesday night in Brugge.”

The England star also announced that he intends to spend the rest of the season miscontrolling passes and belting the ball towards the corner flag before coming into form just in time to negotiate an improved contract.